Let's keep moving forward

Bantams boss Phil Parkinson is looking for his side to take another significant stride forward this Tuesday (1 April 2014) when they travel to play Coventry City in Sky Bet League 1.

Parkinson's men today (Monday) prepared for the Coventry game off the back of a morale-boosting performance and victory over promotion contenders Leyton Orient.

The City chief felt his side took a 'big step forward' when they secured the eye-catching victory and he doesn't want the Bantams to look back now.

Parkinson is keen for City to build on the momentum gained by the victory at Orient by producing another praiseworthy display this Tuesday evening.

He said: "To go down to the third-placed side (Leyton Orient) and come back with the three points was a terrific effort.

"We took a big step forward on Saturday and we have to make sure we keep progressing forwards in terms of our performance levels tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

"We took a step forward on Saturday with our performance but, equally, we also took a couple of steps back in terms of our display against Walsall.

"Having taken that large step forward against Orient, we have to make sure we keep moving forward.

"If we stick to the game-plan like we did at Orient and we have 11, 12, 13 players - whatever number is required - working as hard as we did, we'll have a good chance of winning."

Coventry and City both go into the match together on 48 points each after weekend victories.

It is not the first time both sides have been level this season either following the thrilling 3-3 draw between the two teams back in November.

Parkinson added: "Both sides have been boosted by recent results and it should be a good game.

"We've had the win at Orient while Coventry beat Stevenage at home and then backed it up with a win at Crewe at the weekend.

"Both teams will have a bit of renewed confidence at that.

"We've both had similar seasons in a way and we're looking forward to meeting them again.

"There will be different personnel on the pitch for both teams but there will still be players on either side from our first game back in November.

"That Sunday game was a terrific match and a great advert for League 1 football.

"If we get anywhere near that on Tuesday, the supporters in the ground will be in for a real treat."

As mentioned many times before in various press reports throughout the year, Coventry have played their home fixtures this season at Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium following a dispute over their former home, Ricoh Arena.

Although it will be different opponents City will be facing compared to what they are used to when travelling to Northamptonshire, the Bantams and Parkinson still enter Sixfields with good memories of their previous visits to the ground.

With Parkinson at the helm, City have won their two most recent league fixtures at Northampton in previous seasons, including the Nahki Wells-inspired 3-1 victory over the Cobblers that virtually secured the Bantams' survival in League 2 back in April 2012.

Parkinson added: "We've had some good results down there in recent seasons, no more so than the win we had over Northampton a couple of seasons back thanks to Nahki's hat-trick.

"Those three points were so vital to us that day. We seem to have enjoyed playing there in the past. Obviously we're playing Coventry this time, not Northampton, but it is definitely an environment we've enjoyed in the past."